I can’t pretend to fully understand your loss and pain. Being a forty-two year old white male in America, I haven’t experienced the harsh realities of society in the ways you have endured. That, in itself, would be a heavy burden to bear. The loss of a son makes it even more overwhelming.

I am a father of two girls, and can’t imagine losing one of them to such a tragedy. We, as parents, are saddled with great responsibility the moment they enter this world. We protect. We nurture. We discipline. We love. We envision grand dreams for our children, unsure if they will ever obtain them. We never anticipate outliving them. It’s an old cliche, but it’s so very true. A parent should never have to bury their own child.